A report by Italian outlet Calciomercato claimed that Newcastle are set to make a £9 million move for German centre-back Koray Gunter, having watched him recently.
The defender, who has both German and Turkish citizenship is currently on loan at Hellas Verona from fellow Serie A side Genoa, having previously signed for the Italians in 2018.
The report claims Newcastle were in attendance for Verona’s Serie A goalless draw with Udinese on Tuesday, specifically to watch Gunter.
It goes on to claim the Newcastle scouts were sufficiently impressed with the player that a bid is being formulated ahead of the January transfer window.
Verona would not want to lose the player mid-season, but any decision may be out of their hands, with parent club Genoa having the final say on a potential deal.
The article adds that the club may be prepared to put the financial gain first, meaning a deal could be struck.
It is doubtful that Newcastle are looking to buy a centre-back
It is hard to imagine Newcastle are realistically looking to bring in a central defender, particularly as it is the one area of the pitch where the squad has a depth of quality.
If the rumours turn out to have substance, fans will surely be concerned over the future of star man Fabian Schar, with his performances during the first few weeks of the season certain to have caught the eye of some of Europe’s big-hitters.
For now, however, it is worth taking the speculation over potential Newcastle signings with a pinch of salt, as many more names are likely to be thrown our way between now and January.
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